Tkay Maidza

Born Takudzwa Victoria Rosa Maidza in Zimbabwe on December 17, 1996, Tkay Maidza is an Australian-based hip-hop and dance-pop singer, songwriter, and rapper. After relocating with her family to Australia when she was five, Maidza spent time in Perth, Kalgoorlie and Whyalla before finally relocating to Adelaide in 2010, studying architecture before making the switch to a full-time music career. Making her debut at the age of 17, with "Brontosaurus" in 2013, she followed this with the Switch Tape EP in 2014, with singles “U-Huh” and "M.O.B" awarded both platinum and gold certifications. Her growing popularity led to numerous appearances at major Australian music festivals, where Maidza gained recognition on an international scale, appearing in Vogue (Australia) and Konbini (France) magazines and collaborating with Troye Sivan on his album Blue Neighbourhood, joining him on select dates during his European tour. In 2016, she released her debut album, Tkay, which landed at number 20 on the charts, and featured the single “Carry On” (featuring Killer Mike). Maidza's first mixtape, Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 1), appeared in 2018, earning her the Best Australian Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards. In 2020, she signed with iconic British label 4AD, releasing the single “Shook” to critical acclaim, followed by follow-up mixtape Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 2), earning her an ARIA nomination for Best Soul/R&B Release, taking home the award the following year with third instalment Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3). In March 2023, Apple featured Maidza's rendition of the Pixies' song "Where Is My Mind?" in a promotional campaign for AirPods, and in July, Maidza collaborated on "Silent Assassin" with Flume, with new single “Ring-a-Ling” appearing ahead of November album Sweet Justice, released on November 3.